Steering post and method of manufacture



April 25, 1950 E. F. PAWSAT STEERING POST AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Filed Nov. 5, 1945 kph 42 44 fig. 3.

INVENTOR. fua/dFPawsaf Patented Apr. 25, 1950 STEERING POST AND METHOD MANUFACTURE Ewald F. Pawsat, Maysville, Ky.

Application November 5, 1945, Serial No. 626,624 I .1 Claim. (o1. 28752.02)

The present invention relates to an improve cycle steering post and a novel method of manufacturing the same. a

An object of the invention is to facilitate and expedite the production of cycle steering posts, with a substantial saving of labor and expense.

Another object is to produce a steering post which is fabricated almost entirely from sheet metal formed by means of a press or similar machine.

A further object is to provide a steering post with improved means for clamping the handle bar of the cycle, whereby to avoid injurious distortion and enhance the safety of the clamping means for the handle bar.

Another object is to reduce to a minimum the number of machine operations necessary to the production of a steering post.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the completed steering post.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. V V

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a sheet metal blank from which the steering post is manufactured.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view indicating in general the process applied to the blank in forming it to shape as a steering post. 7

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an advanced stage of the process.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, it will be noted that the steering post of the invention comprises a straight cylindrical lower portion 5, an integral neck 55' disposed at an obtuse angle to portion 5, and a substantially cylindrical head 1 adapted for receiving and clamping a handle barto be inserted therein. At the junction of the neck 6 and straight portion 5, there is formed a boss 8 provided with a perforation 9 to receive a stem bolt IG which extends axially downward- 1y through the straight cylindrical portion 5 of the steering post. At its upper end the stem bolt carries a head I2 to receive a tool whereby the bolt may be rotated. At the opposite end, the bolt is furnished with threads it which engage complementary threads within the longitudinal bore I 4 of a wedge piece l5, the function of which is to impart an expanding action within the hollow stem of a bicycle front wheel fork, to preclude relative movementof the steering post with respect thereto. Thewedge piece includes an internally threaded *.boss I 6, which may enter the lower open end of post 5. The

post is provided with an obliquely disposed seat or taper H, the angularity of which is complementary to the angle of theoblique surface 18 of the wedge piece. As will. readily be understood, rotationof screw l in one direction serves to elevate the wedge piece i5 and cause it to gradually progress laterally as it slides upon the tapered portion !1 of, the post. In this way the aforesaid clamping action is effected within the hollow stem of the steering fork. The free lower end of the steering post is indicated by the character i9.

The neck 5 of the steering post extends obliquely upwardly and outwardly from the axis of the post, at an obtuse angle thereto. At approximately the location 2! the material ofthe neck is bent to circular formation for establishing the head i. The head may be provided circumferentially thereof with a reinforcing rib 2! pressed into the material of the head. At the free end 22 of the piece forming the head, the material is pressed so as to cup it,.the concavity at this location being toward the inside of the head. The cupped portion furnishes a very substantial head end 23 which may be perforated at 24 to receive a head clamp bolt 25. The same bolt passes through a perforation 26 of the neck 6, this perforation being preferably angular in shape to receive the squared portion 21 of the bolt head 28.

Underneath the neck of the steering post, the material is formed to provide a stool 29, located in position to provide a stop against which the perforated cupped end of the clamping head may abut when the head is contracted about a handle bar by tightening the clamping nut 30. It will be noted that the terminal end 22 normally overlies the stool 29 in spaced relationship; however, as nut 30 is tightened to contract the head I, the end 22 eventually is forced into contact with the stool, and as the nut is further tightened, the full force of the clamping means is translated substantially into a force of contraction applied to the handle bar clamping head. This arrangement prevents injurious bending of the end 22 toward tangency with the circular head 7, with the possibility of severely bending and breaking the metal of the clamping head in the region of the cupped portion 23. Consequently, the clamping means at the head is rendered very secure and safe, and may be relied upon to firmly hold the handle bar in adjusted position within the head, so that accidental loosening of the handle bar by breakage-0r fatigue of the metal at the underside blank as illustrated by Fig. 3. This blank has at its one end a tongue 32 of limited width, to be curved and centrally ribbed as indicated at 2|32 upon Fig. 5, to establishythe clamping head of the steering post. The extreme end 33' of the tongue is pressed to develop. it into the cup shaped end 23 of Figs. 4 and 5, this end being adapted to overlie thEfSiIOOliQQrtS previously explained. The stool is formed from the pair of shoulders 34 of the blank, the side edges 35 01'- which are brought into abutment at the joint 36; Fig; 5 From: the shoulders 34 totl'ienearest portion of tongue 3 2, the main body portion '31 of the blank: is gradually reduced in width at the curved sections 38%- which, initiiefinished steering p'o'st; provide the reinforcing. struts 3st (Figs. 1 and 21. a

A short intermediate sectionof. the blank body 31 is provided with slightly'tapered edges 551', at which the width of. the'rblank is reduced across the: edges 39 39 to form: the section. H which constitutes the lower straighticyiindrical portion of the post, as indicated at 5 upon Fig. 1'. The section 3?" f the blank is utilized in forming the neckziiand the boss portion 8- orthesteering post.

The butt end '42" 'or' 'the blank is angularly tapered to 'furnishthe oblique: side edges 6'3 and the bottom edge Ed; said oblique side edges the finishedarticle being adapted to provide the tapered seat i i previously mentioned in connection: with Fig. 1'. The straight transverse lower edge forms. the terminal end 19 of the post, this terminal end being approximately of. half cylinder extent-(see Figs, land In the initial pressing or forming operation,

the blank is firsti'embossedi along the: broken line 'to' form a deep recess resulting: in a central depression at, the widthof which approximates the diameter of the: steering post when finished. Thereafter; the embossed blank is subjected to a forming operation which bends it longitudinally, as illustrated by Fig; 4,. and establishes the U-shaped form of theibocly, the; cup at 23, the rib 2|, and the boss at 8. In subsequent operations, the body portion of the blank is to be bent to form the cylindrical'postsection 5 with its edges meeting along. the seam. .36, and. the tongue will be given its curvature to provide the handle bar clamping head Ti. These operations may be simultaneous in practice, although it is obviously possible to: formthemection 5 and head I by means of separate forming operations, if desired. The necessary apertures for receiving the bolts l8 and 25 may be punched, drilled, or otherwise formed in the material at any stage of. the process.

.Aiter the blank. has, been formed. up tothe completed. shape or. the steering-post, the seam over.

indicated at 36, and which extends from stool 29 to the oblique end portion ll of the post, may be welded or brazed, should the article require the additional strength obtainable by means of this extra operation. It may be noted in this connection, however, that welding or brazing of the seam may be dispensed with if the blank initially is cut from metal of sufficient strength and thickness. A highly satisfactory and substantial steering post may be produced in accordance with the present invention, for example, by using a blank of steel sheet approximately A; inch-in thickness. This thickness may be varied depending upon the character of the metal used,

and the strength required in the finished article.

Steering posts produced in accordance with the invention. are. found highly acceptable for use as substitutes for forged o cast steering posts, and 'th'ey-possess a number of advantages there- The improved steering post can be produced' in the. press with agreat saving; 0t time andv abor; so thatrthev cost of PZ OGUGtiOIlmEtYYbG maintained at a minimum. 'lZheproductionim volves a cold forming process-,whereas heretofore it was necessary to. form thesteeringl posts with the aid of heat, These advantages and others-will be readilyapparent topersons slsilled in the arto which the.inyentionsappertahisz Vhatis-eiaimed is In combination, a one-piece sheet metal steering post: for a cyclewhich comprises. a: hollow cylindrical lower portion adapted tobeheld withina iorkstenrof the cycle, a hollows-ubsta-ntially cylindrical central portion integral withand-ex:- tending at an obtuse angle; to-therlower portion, and. a handle bar clamping headset substantially cylindrical shape integral with an upper side of the free end of the central portion andhaving. a perforated free end cupped to impart. strength and resistance to deformation of, said. end,., the axis of theclamping head being substantially perpendicular to the.. axis of. the central portion, the clamping head. having a freeend adaptedsto engage the undersideoi the centtalportiomsaid clamping head being provided with a. of aligned bores disposedv adj acent. opposite-ends of the clamping. head and adjacentthe central portion of. the. post, anda boltdisposed insaid bores andladapted to contract the clamping. heacliform 2 ing the free end of the clamping head againstthe underside of the central portion.

EV/ADD Fl. PAWSAT;

REFERENGES" CITED The following references in the file of this, patent;

UNITED STATES. EATEN-TS:

Number Name Date 752,828 Devi'ne' Feb. 23 12904 1,510,501 Ross Oct.- 7, 1 -924 1,791,985 Valkenburg Feb; 1 0; 1931 1,857,573 Strobe et" a1; 'Ma,-y'1 0, 1932 1,928,044 Andres et al Sept. 26; 1933 2,280,662 Pawsat Apr: 21, 1942 2,383,273 P'awsat Aug. 21, "1945 

